


something more than a favour

by boisoup



Category: Assassin's Creed - All Media Types
Genre: Emotions, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fake Marriage, Feelings, Fluff, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Post-Canon, Sexual Content, Unrequited Love, alexios is just chillin w/ barnabas you know, didnt finish atlantis quest bc stupid cyclops :/, they're both idiots
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-01-19
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-10-12 20:48:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17474735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boisoup/pseuds/boisoup
Summary: The nature of the favour was peculiar but, when he asked, she agreed with no questions asked. He assured her that he would only call the favour in when absolutely necessary, “you have my word,” he had promised. However, Kassandra knows what Sparta is like, a little bit too set in it’s ways but it works, normally. So when Brasidas had finally called in the favour, (“the Kings are threatening my position as General,” his letter had said) Kassandra knew that he had worked to hard to have his position taken due to an age old tradition.So she married him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> based on that one fun fact on the loading screen that spartan men need to be married by 35 to participate in festivals & things! and I'm a hoe for fake marriage aus 👌😌👌

Kassandra was, to put it simply, nervous. Her palms were sweaty, her breath uneven and heart thumping a little faster than it probably should. This was the least nerve wracking experience, riding Phobos through the gates of Sparta; what’s making her nervous is who’s waiting for her. _Brasidas._ He had finally called in a favour that had been in the back of her mind, collecting dust, about 6 months ago.

The nature of the favour was peculiar but, when he asked, she agreed with no questions asked. He assured her that he would only call the favour in when absolutely necessary, _“you have my word,”_ he had promised. However, Kassandra knows what Sparta is like, a little bit _too_ set in it’s ways but it works, normally. So when Brasidas had finally called in the favour, ( _“the Kings are threatening my position as General,”_ his letter had said) Kassandra knew that he had worked to hard to have his position taken due to an age old tradition.

So she married him. She wasn’t going to get married anyway. Her _Mater_ wasn’t exactly pleased with the reasoning behind the union, whereas Nikolaus was ecstatic, providing Brasidas would keep his oaths as a Husband and Kassandra would give them grandchildren. ( _“One day,”_ Nikolaus had added when Kassandra glared at him and Brasidas looked away from his Future Father-in-Law, probably unhappy with the idea of children.)

Phobos finally stopped outside of Brasidas’ house--- well, their house. Kassandra got out of the saddle, took a deep breath and entered their home, where Brasidas was sat at the head of the table, writing on parchment. He only looked up when his _wife_ closed the door behind her.

“Ah, welcome back Kassandra, I trust Messara was fruitful?” Brasidas stood up and braced her shoulder with his hand with a small squeeze and a friendly smile upon his lips. Kassandra’s heart sped up again, as she tried to push down all too real feelings for her law bound, but ultimately _fake_ marriage.

“It was nothing my sword could not handle,” she answered smuggly, patting the hand on her shoulder as she moved away from his grasp, removing the weapon belts from around her waist, hanging them on a hook near the door. One thing she did truly appreciate about Brasidas as a husband, he did not stop her from gallivanting around the Aegean Sea and she could virtually come and go as she pleased. There were only a reasons Kassandra had to be present for, unfortunately, King Archidamus wanted to honour the union between Brasidas and the _misthios_ and was getting impatient due to her extended absences. “Have you heard anything from Archidamus?”

“ _King_ Archidamus, my love.” Brasidas corrected, sitting back in front of his parchment, face almost buried in his work, “and yes, he will dine with us in three nights, the new King, Agesipolis, is giving him some trouble.”

Kassandra was still recovering from the pet name, _my love,_ pretending to dust off her blades as they hung from hook _._ He did this sometimes, she thought it was so that he could get into the mindset that they were in fact married, not just friends, after all, they were going to try and deceive Archidamus into believing that their marriage was, in fact, real. However, the stutter in her heart was silenced, and she continued the conversation. “I almost feel sorry for Agesipolis,” she admitted, sitting in the chair opposite Brasidas, her elbows on the table, “at least we don’t have to think about the cult anymore.”

(Kassandra never told anyone but Barnabas the Ghost’s real identity, it was the last kindness for someone who helped Kassandra find her family, despite what they did to the Greek world. Although Barnabas liked to tell stories, he also knew when to keep things to himself.)

Brasidas looked up again from his letter and said, “no, we won’t.”

The first night they stayed in the same house, they drank wine until their sentences were slurred and they couldn’t walk in a straight line. That night, as they drank, Kassandra told him everything she had done, from surviving the fall from Mt. Taygetos, to holding a lifeless Phoibe in her arms. Brasidas had sat in silence as she went on and on, going through the motions of anger and sadness. He embraced her that night, and told her that the Cult would never hurt her again, not as long as they were married. Although, she was very drunk at the time and can’t recall whether he actually embraced her or if she imagined it.  


Later that night, Kassandra went to bed first, wrapped herself up in the blanket, relishing in the luxury of bedding and hoping she’d fall asleep before the other Spartan came to bed. It wasn’t their first time sharing a bed and it wouldn’t be the last time either. Unfortunately sleep did not embrace her quick enough and it did nothing good to her heart and her libido.

Lying on her back, staring at the ceiling trying to count sheep, movement by the door urged her to look down, seeing a fully dressed Brasidas enter the room. Fortunately, it seemed like he hadn’t noticed that she was still awake as he unbuckled his cuirass, and lifted it over his head. Kassandra saw the red tunic, that Brasidas wore under his armour, lift a little too high as it got snagged on the cuirass, grazing over his thigh so she could see the hem of his linen underwear---- she swiftly turned on her side, away from Brasidas and temptation.

Just as she got comfortable on her side, she felt the sheet peel back just a little and heard Brasidas shift his weight as he slipped under the sheet. It seemed as if his back was towards her, judging by the way the sheet spread between the two of them.

It was too easy to share a bed with the Spartan General, she always felt too safe, too comfortable and Hypnos always pulled her in just a little too deep. But right now, the image of the red tunic was burned into her memory, his toned thighs, his skin darkened by the sun but most likely flecked with scars and freckles, either way, she just wanted to see what would happen if the tunic went up even further.

Then she remembers the marriage is fake, any feelings are probably a fake, and all she has to do is survive another three nights so she can return to the Andrestia and sail away.

 

Brasidas was nervous, sleeping next to a woman he frequently likens to Athena and Artemis. He always knew that she was only here as a favour to him but, a small part of him hoped that she was here for something more than the favour. Either way, he knew his love was unrequited (her reaction to him accidentally calling her _my love_ is proof enough of how she sees him, as just a friend,) and, there’s no Spartan military tactic he can apply to be victorious in this situation.

He lay on his side, awake for an unknown amount of time. The General guessed that Kassandra was asleep behind him, she seemed to get go of her strangle grip on the sheet and he could hear her breathing gently and evenly. They’d been in the same bed enough times for him to know when she’s asleep. He carefully peeled back his half of the bedding, trying to slip out of the bed as quietly as possible.

Brasidas didn’t bother with his armour as he left the house, toeing on his sandals as he left their home to walk around Sparta. This was becoming a tradition, to steal away from their shared bed on the first night she returned. _To clear my thoughts,_ he tells himself every time, which is true but, the content of the thoughts differ every time. Sometimes he thinks about professing his love, waking her up with kisses, and other times, he thinks about asking her to end their marriage, the pain of it not being real almost too much to handle.

Regardless, he considers every thought selfish. If he professes his love, it’s selfish, if he asks her to leave, it’s selfish; both ways preserve his feelings and takes none of hers into account.

He returns to their room after a walk around the Temple of Artemis Orthia, his mind cleared and his eyes heavy. He toed off his sandals and slipped back into the sheets, unaware that Kassandra had stirred until she spoke, “you went for a walk again?”

Any tiredness Brasidas had acquired had vanished, replaced by the shock of one, she’s awake and two, she knows about the midnight walks. He was speechless, just for a moment, before answering, “yes, I had to clear my thoughts.” He was lying on his back, staring up at the ceiling, his breath a little uneven, made noticeable by the sheet moving on top of him.

He heard Kassandra shift, then her breath on his shoulder, as she asked, “which thoughts?” She was obviously half asleep, her voice quieter and softer than usual. Brasidas tilted his head towards her, seeing her eyes opening and closing slowly, as if she was fighting to stay awake to hear his thoughts. “If they’re guilty thoughts, I’m great at those,” she murmured with a small but sad smile on her face, “it’s either you or them, you do what you have to do to survive.”

Brasidas huffed, a little bewildered at how casually she rationalises killing, then again, he knows she has always lived in a _kill or be killed_ world, even without the help of Sparta. “They are not guilty thoughts,” Brasidas explained, briefly looking back at the ceiling, “go back to sleep, we will talk in the morning.” He turned back to Kassandra and moved a piece of hair from her eyes. She hummed appreciated but ultimately, didn’t roll back to her side as she usually did.

Brasidas rolled on his side, first away from Kassandra and then towards her, but by that time, she was back asleep, lips open slightly as she breathed evenly. He gazed at her for a few minutes before he too closed his eyes and fell asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok so this chapter is 70% kassandra and 30% brasidas, also a hell of a lot longer than I intended it to be but 🤷🤷🤷
> 
> also minor spoilers for episode 7 & sexual content ahead boiiiiis

Kassandra didn’t know where she was, when she got there or how she got there but, regardless. she was enjoying herself. Lying on her back on the surprisingly soft ground, her feet were planted, lifting her hips towards her paramour. She was too enthralled by pleasure to look who was down there but she’s had someone else’s tongue lapping at her clit enough to know what they’re doing. Kassandra is also sure she felt hair scratching the skin around her slit, like a beard.  

One of her hands heads down her body towards her lover, to grab at surprisingly short hair. One thing she deduced was that it was a Spartan down there, a braid prominent on the top of his head. However, her investigation was stilted by a finger pushing through her folds, instantly hooking and dragging along her walls. Her eyes squeezed shut, her hand tightened in his hair, probably messing up the braid, and she moaned, it wasn’t very loud but it was enough for her lover to growl. With that one sound, two things happened, her core tightened as she moaned again, and she figured out who was pleasuring her so. 

This must be a dream, she thought to herself, although she ultimately did not want to wake up. Removing her hand from his head, both hands went to his shoulders as she pushed herself up to a sitting position, to look down at Brasidas of Sparta. His eyes were dark, hooded and predatory, the hair along his upper lip covered in her. Her hands slid from his shoulders, (unfortunately his cuirass covers most of his upper body, what a wet dream this is,) to his neck, then up to cup his face, beard soft beneath her fingers.  

Brasidas opened his mouth as if to say something, but instead of words, he barked. And barked again. Every time he barked, it became more and more dog-like, until her eyes shot open, Kassandra finding herself in bed and alone. Spurred by a chorus of dogs, she swung her legs out of bed and ran her hands over her face before she stood up and marched to the window. Two dogs were sat barking at nothing. Absolute. Nothing. Grinding her teeth and scowling, she reached out of the window, grabbed the shutters and slammed them closed.  

Aphrodite must be playing with her; she’s tired, angry and sexually frustrated. Gods watch over whoever angers her today because she’s in the mood to punch someone.  

After getting dressed, Kassandra stomped into the kitchen, Brasidas nowhere in sight, only a selection of fruits and a small loaf of bread sat on a plate. He must’ve thrown something together before leaving to do whatever it is he does in the morning. Stupid Brasidas of Sparta, he manages to make her feel better without even doing anything. Still, she took the bread and a few of figs and apples, managing to carry them outside so she could stuff them in the saddle bag she recently brought for Phobos.  

She wasn’t going to do anyone any good by sitting and letting her frustration fester like an infection in an open wound. Kassandra isn’t some helpless maiden who wallows in self-pity, instead, she’s the kind of woman who goes and beats the shit out of something with a stick. Alexios also happened to be taking care of the Adrestia whilst she completes her duty as a wife, (or deals with " _m_ _alakas_ _m_ _arital bullshit,"_  as her beloved little brother liked to put it.) either way, she knows Alexios would be put for a little sibling rough housing.  

Kassandra rushes through Sparta, the wind nipping at Phobos’ heels as they rode toward Gytheion. Fortunately, the people of Lakonía know how to get out of the way of a pent up  _misthios_ and her horse.    
 

She finds the Adrestia exactly where she left her, Eagle figurehead standing proud (Ikaros also perched on his mirrors head, plucking feathers,) and Barnabas and his men running around the ship. Alexios, however, was stood at the helm leering over the bees working around him. If Kassandra had to guess, he’s been barking orders all day and not doing anything himself, but did she really expect anything else? 

She dismounted Phobos and stepped over the gap between the dock and ship, Barnabas chirping at her happily, welcoming her back home. If life hadn’t gone her way and she never spared Nikolaos (and subsequently spared Stentor,) never found her mother and never spared Deimos, the Adrestia would’ve been there to welcome her home. Fortunately, fate, the Gods, whatever it was, smiled on her and everyone came home safe. 

“Kassandra, what brings you to  _my_ boat?” Alexios greeted with a vicious smile, trying to egg his sister into confrontation as he did. Alexios is not Deimos but, he still clings to parts his former identity; Kassandra thinks it’s like a safety blanket, he has known nothing but violence and when all else fails, resorts to it because it’s what has the highest success rate. 

Regardless, Kassandra crossed her arms as she responded, “firstly, this is  _my_ ship.” Alexios’ smile got bigger, his eyes narrowed on his sister, getting the rise he wanted. “Secondly, I need to hit something.” Alexios paused for a moment, smile faltering before being replaced by a booming laugh. 

“Oh, you can try.” Alexios jumped over the railings from the helm to the deck, a large thud when he landed. One day, either Alexios or Kassandra are going to go straight through the deck down to the rowers. “Marital bullshit finally gone to shit?” He asked, shoving into his sisters' shoulder, forcing her arms to uncross as she grunted a reply to him. If she were anyone else, she would’ve gone flying into the deck. (“Gods blood,” Barnabas probably thought as he tried to usher them off the ship and onto solid land.) 

The two of them had unspoken rules about sparring: no weapons, no hair pulling, no kicking private areas and, most importantly, no breaking bones, except noses. As misthios, both of them needed all their bones in working order to do misthios things, like hold a sword, kick someone, count drachmae, etc.   

On solid land, the two of them circled each other, Barnabas off to the side holding all their weapons. Alexios was still very impatient, looking like he was going to pounce any moment but, Kassandra has beaten him before and she’ll be damned if she lets him win today. A smug smirk on her face, she motioned for her brother to come at her with her hands before bawling them back into fists. Apparently, that’s all she needed to do as Alexios charged into her, knocking both of them on the floor.  

For a brief second, Kassandra felt all the air leave her lungs before she gasped for air, throwing her arms over her head to protect it. Alexios immediately tried to prize her arms apart, sitting on top of her so she couldn’t escape.  

“Stop. Being. A. Coward.” Alexios argued, his plans to break down her defences going nowhere. However, being so bull-headed and impatient to win, Alexios made the mistake of bending his head down. Kassandra immediately broke her guard, grappling her brothers head, the inside of her elbow pressing on his neck. Using his neck as leverage, she managed to shake his balance and roll them over so she could let go of him and stand up. 

“I’m not a coward, just patient,” Kassandra finally teased, shaking her arms out as Alexios stood up, scowling at his sister. They started circling each other again, Alexios momentarily rubbing the front of his neck, leaving Kassandra snickering. “Did I hurt you, little Alexios?” she teased again, she knew he hated the idea of being belittled, and it spurred him into making mistakes. 

As planned, he ran at her, flurrying hit at her as she ducked under his wider swings, jabbing him in the side. However, what she did not expect is him to swing wildly behind him, the backs of his knuckles hitting her straight in the eye. She tumbled to the floor, completely shocked and bewildered, her hands over her eye, as Alexios stopped, concerned before teasing, “Did I hurt you,  _little_   _Kassandra?_ ” 

That's when Kassandra removed her hands from her eye and scowled at Alexios, every ounce of aggression in her body ready to come out at once. “I’m going to make you wish  _mater_ was here,” she threatened, “so you could hide behind her skirts!”  

 

It was sun set when Brasidas finally sat down on the edge of their bed, hands running over his face. It had been a long, long, long, long,  _long_  day. Training young Spartans at the ass crack of dawn, rushing off to a military meeting with Archidamos and Agesipolis, then rushing off to another meeting with other Spartan generals. He then had 10 minutes to eat before continuing with his schedule. What made this day so much worse is how he work up this morning. 

Kassandra was sound asleep, tucked against his side, hair all across her face, occasionally snoring. At first, he thought he was dreaming but, the more he woke up the more he realised it was real and she was real. His heart started an unbearable pace that kept fading and reappearing at the worst times. He was mid conversation, listening to the young King Agesipolis when the image of Kassandra drifted back into his mind, near enough making his heart skip a beat. 

Brasidas finally flopped back on the bed, my mind like an ocean just filled with thoughts of her. This has never happened before, both waking up with her against him and not being able to shake her from his thoughts. He’s always been able to be  _professional_ when working, pushing whatever thoughts back to the deep recesses of his mind. But Eros & Aphrodite seemed to making it their mission to plague him with thoughts of her. 

He was unsure of how long he just lay there, staring at the ceiling, his thoughts doing backflips, swinging from strategy and war to Kassandra, sleeping peacefully. However, he heard movement downstairs in the entrance, then thudding as if someone was stomping their way through the house. There was only one person who moved like an elephant when they think they’re alone.  

And there she was, Kassandra, with a black eye, looking exceptionally pissed off. Brasidas fought the urge to bolt up off the bed and interrogate her until she told him what happened, instead carefully rising up from his lying position, concern painting his features. “What happened?” he asked, standing up and moving towards her. 

“Oh, you know, Alexios,” she said nonchalantly, folding her arms across her chest, as she did, “I felt like hitting someone but, unlike most people, he knows how to hit back.” She was posturing it as if nothing was wrong, however, as a frequent culprit himself, Brasidas knows when there's something wrong. Plus, despite Kassandra’s ardent belief that Alexios and Deimos are different people, Brasidas can’t look at her younger brother, without squeezing the wound on his leg and thinking of Pylos and he can’t even remember what happened at Amphipolis. (Kassandra continually ignores his question of what happened, glancing off to another topic.) Brasidas did not trust  _Alexios_ and would personally murder the man if he left Kassandra with any lasting wounds.

However, Brasidas took her word for it, although, he was intrigued as to  _why_ she wanted to hit something. He supposed that she is a  _misthios_  and fights on a near enough day to day basis, maybe she just wanted to keep herself sharp, just in case. “Let me go get a cloth,” Brasidas said, before briefly going down stairs, grabbing a cloth, soaking it in the bucket of clean water, ringing it out and returning to Kassandra. “Hold it over your eye, it should reduce the swelling.” He told her, folding the cloth and placing it over her eye until she held it herself. 

“I could’ve done this myself,” she told him, herself sufficient attitude surfacing. He assumes it something that growing up on Kephallonia taught her, not to rely on others when you can rely on yourself. Whereas Sparta, for all it’s tough love, teaches camaraderie and protecting your fellow soldier. Brasidas sometimes wonders if their relationship would be different if she was raised in Sparta. What would they be? Who would she be?

“Thank you,” Kassandra said, taking the cloth off her eye for a moment, blinking and putting it back on, “for the cloth and for breakfast this morning.” Brasidas, sat back on the edge of the bed, taking his grieves off, looked up at her for a moment and smiled softly. 

 

Between the two of them, they cooked a rabbit for dinner, Kassandra kept trying to tell him that it was going to burn but, Brasidas kept telling her that he had cooked hundreds of rabbits and has never burnt one. It was a little burnt. Throughout dinner, she kept telling him, “I told you so.”  

 

Brasidas went up to bed first, sitting under the sheets reading war plans to go over tomorrow at a meeting, the candle light making it only just visible. Kassandra soon followed, (her armour removed earlier that evening) and she sat next to him, reading over his shoulder, taking the cloth off her eye. “That’s... a  _lot_ of troops,” she said, sounding a little surprised, “are you going to be one of them?” 

Brasidas put the plans down, “yes, Archidamos wants experienced Generals to defend Arcadia from Athens.” He knew, that for once, the weakening of Arcadia wasn’t Kassandra’s fault, it was some pesky mercenary that Athens hired. “With luck from the Gods, it shouldn’t take too long.” He sighed, knowing that it would be a difficult campaign, even with Lagos still Archon, but it would be a vital foothold for Sparta. 

“Well, if you need help, you know where I am.” Kassandra offered. Brasidas knew how much she had helped (and hindered) Sparta in its conquests, mostly in Megaris, Pylos and supposedly Amphipolis. “For Drachmae, of course,” she teased, elbowing him in the side, chuckling. 

“For all you joke, Sparta may actually need you,” he replied, a little seriously for what she was probably expecting. He looked over at her; the black eye, given to her by Alexios, looked as if it was starting to go down. “Let me have a look,” he said as he leaned forward, then looked back, having a different angle but a better look at her eye. “Archidamos will want an exciting story for that black eye,” he warned, a hint of teasing in his voice as he directed the conversation away from battle plans. 

“And he’ll get one,” she started, a victorious smile on her face, “of me pommelling my  _malakas_ brother!”  

Brasidas let out an unexpected bark of a laugh, the look on Kassandra’s face went from amused to confusion. Was he not meant to find it funny? Did she actually beat her brother into the ground? Either way, Brasidas was sure the change in the look on her face was not a good one, so he asked, “What’s with that look? Was that not meant to be funny.” 

Kassandra quickly put herself back together, a placid look on her face, although whatever she was feeling was betrayed by the blood rising to the top of her ears. She lay down, pulled the sheet over herself and abruptly said, “it’s nothing, good night.”  

Brasidas was the epitome of confusion, spending a moment dwelling on what he said, what he did before accepting that he’d never figure it out. He blew out the candle and settled to sleep himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> honestly I made myself laugh with the barking joke!! 
> 
> Again, thank you for reading & I hope you've enjoyed the second chapter to this disaster!!

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading!! feel free to hmu on tumblr @boisoup !!


End file.
